Tremolo attachment for stringed musical instruments



:No M del.) 0 Y G. W. VAN DUSEN.

TRBMOLO ATTACHMENT 'FOR STRINGBD MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS... No. 462,519.

Patented NOV.3,1891.

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lEORGE TV. VAN DUSEN, OF NORVOOD, NETV YORK.

TREMOLO ATTACHMENT FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,519, dated November 3, 1891.

Application iiled March 9, 1891. Serial No. 384,261. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be itknown that l, GEORGE TV. VAN DU SEN, of Norwood, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and Iniproved Tremelo Attachment for Stringed Musical Instruments,of which the following is a `full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to stringed musical instruments such as shown and described in the Letters Patent No. 440,979, granted to me under date ot November 1S, 1890.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved treniolo attachment which is simple and durable in construction, very effective in operation, and completely under the control of the performer.

The invention consists of a tremolo-block adapted to press the free end of one oi' the levers of the set of levers connected with the respective set of unison-strings, so that when the hammer strikes the said unison-strings the one connected with the level' pressed on by the tremolo-block produces a higher sound, which sound mixed with the rest produces a tremolo sound of the unisonstring.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to, the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front view of the improvement, illustrating two sets of unison-strings. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on the line 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the levers, its support, and connection; and Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the same on the line 4 4 of Fig.

The musical instrument on which the device is applied is provided with a suitablyconstructed frame A, on the front of which extend the sets of unison-strings B B', the., each set composed of two or more strings, so that when the hammer strikes one set a unison soundin g is produced by the set of strings.

The strings are connected in the usual manner at their lower ends with the tuning-pins C, held in the frame A and from which the strings extend over the bridge D and in front of the sounding-board to pass with their upper ends onto the front ends of sets of levers F F', the., `tulcrumed on a bracket G, held in the frame A above the sounding-board E. rlhe rear ends of the levers F are connected with springs H, extending downwardlg` and havingvtheir lower ends fastened to wires I, y

formed on its under side with two V-shaped lugs F2, bent in opposite directions, as is plainly illustrated in Fig. 4, and engaging correspondingly-shaped grooves G', arranged longitudinally on the top of the bracket G. The lugs F2 form the fulcruin for the lever, and by being spread give considerable stability to the said lever. Over the front end F3 of each lever passes the respective string of the sets of strings B B', vc., the upper end of the string extending between the two lugs Ft, which, when the string is in place, are pressed together by a suitable tool, so as to securely fasten the end of the string to the respective lever. The ends ot' the strings may also be flattened and passed through the slit of the lugs, a lump being' formed on the ends of the string and butting against the lug. lVhen the levers are made, the lugs F, F2, and FL are formed by splitting the respective parts ot' the lever lengthwise and then bending the lugs apart for the purpose described. The rear end of each lever is formed with a notch F5, on which is hung the upper end ot the respective spring H. In order to place the levers ol' each set of levers close to each other, two or more grooves or notches G' are formed in the bracket G, so that the levers are alternately set in the grooves, one in the front and the next following one in the rear-groove, so that the spreadlugs F2 do not come in contact with each other. (See Fig. 2.) One of the levers in each set ot levers has its rear end extending above the others, and this lever is adapted to be engaged bya tremolo-block K, secured on a rod K', fastened to a shaft L, mounted to turn in suitable bearings in the sides of the main frame A. On one end of this shaft Lis se- TOO cured an arm L connected with a rod N, extending downwardly on the main frame A and connected with one of the pedals, (not shown,) so as to be under the control of the operator.

In order to guide the rod N on the frame A, the said rod is provided with a slot N', engaged by a pin N2. 'Vhen the pedal is in a normal position, the several tremolo-blocks K stand above the rear ends of the uppermost levers in the sets of levers, as is plainly shown in Fig. 2. When the performer presses the tremolo-pedal, the rod N is moved upward, so that the shaft L is turned and the several tremolo-blocks swing downward in contact with the uppermost rear ends of the respective levers and press thelatter. Now, when the operator has played a key the hammer of which sounded one of the unison strings F F, duc., then this spring produces a r tremolo sound as one of its levers is pressed on by the tremolo-block, so that the respective stringvhas a sound o f a higher pitch than the one it is tuned to,and which sound, mixed with the others Aof that respective string, produces a quavering or tremolo sound. As soon as the operator releases the pedal the blocks K move back to their former position and the tremolo ceases.

rlhe special advantages derived by con* necting the strings with levers and thelatter with springs H and wires Iis fully set out in the Letters Patent above referred to. The specialconstruction of thelevers F, however, gives greater stability to the levers, so that the strings are securely held in position. It will be seen that a second bridge is not necessary, as the strings extend directly from the bridge D to the front ends of the levers in the sets of levers F F', &c.

I do not limit myselt to the special construction ot tremo1o-blocks shown and described and the means for moving the blocks to` press the levers, as other suitable devices for the same purpose may be employed. For instance, the blocks may be made sufficiently heavy to press by their own weight on the levers to produce the desired result.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A stringed musical instrument provided with a tremolo-block adapted to engage the free end of one of the levers of the set of levers connected with a set of unison-strings, so that when the hammer strikes the set ot unison-strings connected with the lever covered by the said block a tremolo sound is produced, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a stringed musical instrument, a lever for carrying a string and formed at its under side with spread V-shaped lugs forming a fulcru 1n for the said lever, substantially as shown and `described.

3. In a stringed musical instrument, a lever for carrying a string and formed at its under side with spread V-shaped lugs forming the fulcrum and provided at its upper side with split lugs for fastening the end of the strings, substantially as shown and described.

4E. In a stringed musical instrument, the combination, with a bracket havingiV-shaped parallel grooves arranged one in front of the other, of sets of levers, each formed at its under side with spread V-shaped lugs engaging one of the said V-shaped grooves, and strings passing over one end of the said lever and secured thereon by split lugs, substantially as shown and described.

-5. In a stringed musical instrument, the combination, with sets of unison-strings, ot` spring-pressed sets of levers connected with the sets of unison-strings, one of the said levers in each set having its rear end extending above the others, and tremolo-blocks adapted to engage the rear ends ot' the said levers which project above the others, substantially as shown and described.

(3. In a stringed musical instrument, the combination, with sets of unison-strings, of spring-pressed sets of levers connected wit-h the sets of n nison-strin gs, one ofthe said levers in each set havingits rear end extending above the others, tremolo-blocks adapted to engage the rear ends of the said levers which project above the others, and means, substantially as described, for moving the said tre1nolo-blocks in contact with the rear ends of the said projecting levers, as set forth.

GEORGE lV. VAN DUSEN.

Witnesses:

THEO. G. HosTER, C. SnDcwIcK. 

